Swimming suit



April 12, 1932. c. P. SUTTON SWIMMING sun Filed Feb. 24, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l C. P. SUTTON SWIMMING SUIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed'FLeb. 24, 1931 a R INVENTOR ATTORNEY April 12, 1932.

Patented Apr. 12, 1932 UNITED STATES CLEM r. sermon, on sEBnING; onIo SWIMMING SUIT.

Application filed February 24,1931. Serial; No. 518,007.,

This invention relates to swimming garments and has for an object the provision of an airproof and waterproof garment having a novel arrangement of inflatable tubes to render the garment buoyant and thus assist persons learning to swim, as well as to provide a life preserver.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a swimming suit which includes an inner buoyant garment and an outer garment for covering the inner garment, means being provided for detachably connecting the garments so that they may be worn separately or together. With the above and other objects in view, the invention further includes the following novel features and details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and point ed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings r Figure 1 is a view showing the buoyant garment in use, the outer garment being re} moved.

Figure 2 is a view showing the outer garment in section and the inner garment partly broken away and shown in section.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the inner buoyant garment.

Figure 4 is a similar view of the outer garment. I

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing a slightly different form of the invention.

35 Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, the invention as shown comprises an inner buoyant garment 10 and an outer garment 11.

The inner garment comprises a front 12 and a back 13, the upper portions of which are connected by shoulder straps 14. The side edges of the front and back of the garment are detachably connected by suitable spaced fastening devices 15, whereby the garment may be slipped over the head of the wearer and the side edges connected so as to provide a waistlike garment having a neck opening 16 and armholes .17. The fastening devices maybe of any suitable character, the ones shown consisting of straps and buckles.

The garment is composed of airproof and waterproof material and includes horizontally extending inflatable tubes 18 which extend across the front and back of the gar- V ment and have their ends in communication with tubes 19. These tubes extend along the side edges of the garment and over the shoulder straps and air is supplied to these tubes by any suitable means through a valve 20. r

The garment may be formed of rubber sheets vulcanized to provide the tubes 18 and these sheets, if desired, may be reinforced by suitable fabricvulcanized with the rubber. If desired however, the garment may be formed of layers of fabric 21 as shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, and these layers of fabric may be stitched as shown at 22 to provide pockets 23 for the reception of rubber tubes 24=. These rubber tubes extend across ithefront and back of the garment and are in communication with similar tubes 25 which extend over the shoulders and along the side edges ofthe front and back. 1 1

An outer garment 10 may be worn over the inner buoyant garment and may be made of any suitable material. This outer garmentis providedwith a neck opening 26 and armholes 27 Fastening devices 28 extend around the neck and armholes of the inner buoyant garment, while fastening devices 29 extend around the neck and armholes of the outer garment. These fastening devices are shown in the form of snap fasteners so that the outer garment may be detachably secured over the buoyant garment.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions and minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall-within the scope of the appended claim. I I

Having described the invention what is claimed is V -A garment made of airproof and water- M proof material comprising a front, a back,

shoulder straps connecting the upper portions of the front and back, and means connecting the side edges of the front and back to provide a waist-like garment having a neck opening and armholes, inflatable tubes extending horizontally across the front and back of the garment, inflatable tubes extending over the shoulders and down the side edges of: the front and back and" communicating with the horizontal tubes, an outer garment having a neck opening and' armholes, and fastenin devices extending around the neck openings and arm'lio'les of both garments to removably' secure the outer garment over the first mentioned garment:

In, testimony whereof I affix my signature. CLEM P. SUTTON; 

